Not all the benefits of PencilMan are obvious. So we have created a user guide to explain the most popular uses and features PencilMan provides. Each PencilMan comes with this 18 page guide.

Scan over the pages shown below to get a quick idea of what we mean. We think you'll agree that PencilMan has much more to offer than meets the eye on first glance.

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Parallel Slide Marking

Whether you are trimming a section of drywall, spacing screw holes, or marking off borders, this technique is effective and easy to do.

Simply lock your measurement using the tape brake lever and drag Pencilmanís tape hook along an edge. The grip cord allows you to hold the tape hook securely while doing this.

You'll use this technique with other methods shown in some of the next pages.

Arcs and Circles

Pencilman has a specially designed tape hook that has points used as pivots. These allow you to create arcs and circles much like a compass.

In this example, a radius is being added to a corner. The pivot point was created using the parallel slide technique (mentioned above) against the two edges. Then the user pressed the tape hook tip into the wood and struck an arc.

The grip cord may be slipped over a nail to provide a pivot for larger radius arcs and circles. You can make circles up to 50 feet in diameter.

Note: the tape hook points are somewhat sharp and can cut when the tape is retracted.

Single-Handed Marking

PencilMan has a very secure cam-action tape brake. This allows you to lock your measurement and mark without looking directly at the tape. When you need to mark close to the ground or ceiling, or on a ladder, this feature is a real benefit.

Because the grip cord on the tape hook is designed to pivot out of the way, it won't interfere with the measurement when butting up to a surface.

When you have to mark the same measurement over and over in awkward positions, you'll be glad you had a PencilMan.

Multiple Marking

When you have to mark several items with the same measurement, the multiple marking technique is really convenient, especially when its an odd fraction thatís difficult to find on the tape.

Sometimes its not the actual measurement, but the consistency that is critical. Because PencilMan has such a secure tape brake, you won't worry about the tape moving on you. It marks consistently.

End-To-End Marking

A variation of multiple marking, end-to-end marking allows you to divide a length using the same measurement.

Simply place PencilMan's tape hook on the last mark and repeat. This is really handy for layout work such as snap lines for roofing, or placing framing studs 16 inches on center.

You can use this with the parallel slide technique to locate evenly spaced holes a certain distance from an edge.